Junior quarterback Rasaan Stewart continued to dazzle, running for 124 yards and one touchdown and passing for 130 yards and another score. But Perk Valley coach Scott Reed was equally impressed with his defensive unit as the Vikings improved to 6-0 (6-1 overall).

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“I thought our defense played well for the most part,” Reed said. “We had one blown coverage, but other that it was a solid effort the whole day.”

That effort began with the Vikings forcing three straight three-and-outs to help their offense open a 14-0 lead after a quarter.

After a motion penalty on the first play from scrimmage for Pope John Paul II (0-6, 0-7) — a recurring theme throughout the game — the Golden Panthers could net just two yards in three plays and the Vikings began their first possession at their own 49.

Stewart kept the drive alive with two third-down conversion passes, then hooked up with Clay Domine (four catches, 70 yards) for a 24-yard scoring strike to get PV on the board with 7:47 left in the first quarter.

A sack by Danny Light — who has 4.5 on the season — highlighted the next series, and the Vikings took over after a punt at the PJP 47. Three plays later, Stewart scored on a scintillating 28-yard run in which he shed several tacklers to make it 14-0 with 4:41 left in the first quarter.

“They keep putting pressure on you,” Golden Panthers coach Mike Santillo said of the Vikings. “Stewart’s a great runner. The fact they have a dual threat there (at QB) makes it a very good offense. Not to take anything away from their other players, but having an option like that, you have to put so much (defensive) focus on that kid. He’s just a very good football player.”

Pope John Paul appeared to have a good chance to halve the deficit early in the second quarter, driving the the PV 18. But three straight incompletions after a second-and-three situation gave the ball back to PV, and the Vikings responded with a 12-play, 82-yard march culminating in Kean McKnight’s 7-yard TD run 3:19 before the half.

McKnight then intercepted a pass by Matt Mesaros to set up Dakota Clanagan’s 16-yard TD pass to Davon Mitchell that put the Vikings up 28-0 with 32 seconds left in the second quarter.

“We put together a nickel package this week,” Reed said. “We knew they were very efficient in throwing the football, and that was something we definitely had to focus on. They give you fits with certain things, but we just felt like if we could run our base defense, get pressure and have a couple adjustments, we could do OK.”

Mesaros finished 16-for-33 for 213 yards — 135 of that coming in the second half, highlighted by a 57-yard scoring pass to Tim Tadros after Perkiomen Valley had invoked the mercy rule running clock.

Tony Pachella had two sacks and Stewart also intercepted a pass for Perkiomen Valley, which won its sixth straight game since a season-opening loss to Plymouth-Whitemarsh.

“We’re just a good, cohesive unit,” Pachella said of the Vikings’ defense. “We work really well together. The game plan today was basically take care of the pass, and check the run. We’re pretty much an attacking defense. We have a lot of fast, athletic kids, and that’s the kind of style we like to play. I think we did a good job with setting the tone, and it was just a great team effort today.”

“(Defensive assistants) Matt Young and Tim Connelly do a great job of putting a (game) plan together,” Reed said. “We have all the faith in the world in them; they do an excellent job. Sometimes the defense gets overshadowed by the offense. That’s just the nature of the beast. But I think our defense has a lot of unsung players people don’t talk about. I’m just proud of them. They run to the ball, they’re aggressive, and hopefully they keep playing hard and doing their thing.”

With running back Mark Bonomo injured on the first offensive series, McKnight (nine carries, 46 yards) picked up the rushing slack and Najre Philyaw (24 yards, two TDs) and Martise Ray pitched in at fullback for PV.

“We said all week we have to go in there and do a job, and they did the job,” Reed said. “I’m very proud we didn’t have any personal fouls and we didn’t fumble the ball; those are two things that have been plaguing us the last two weeks. We cleaned that up.”

NOTES

Pope John Paul, which has been plagued by injuries all season, suffered another blow when lineman/kicker Kirk Cherneskie went down with a hand injury in the first half and didn’t return. “It is what it is,” a frustrated Santillo said. “I can’t even talk about it anymore.” ... Chris Veisbergs caught four passes for 58 yards and also intercepted a pass for PJP. ... Clanagan played a series late in the first half when Stewart went off with a bloody nose and finished 4-for-5 for 40 yards. .... Mitchell hauled in a game-high five receptions for 37 yards for PV. ... PJP’s Jamel Stinson was named Homecoming King at halftime and caught three balls for 20 yards in the second half.